Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1738 - 3.10 FILES

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### 3.10 FILES

The file URL scheme is used to designate files accessible on a particular host computer. This scheme, unlike most other URL schemes, does not designate a resource that is universally accessible over the Internet.

A file URL takes the form:

           file://<host>/<path>

where <host> is the fully qualified domain name of the system on which the <path> is accessible, and <path> is a hierarchical directory path of the form <directory>/<directory>/.../<name>.

For example, a VMS file

         DISK$USER:[MY.NOTES]NOTE123456.TXT

might become

         <URL:file://vms.host.edu/disk$user/my/notes/note12345.txt>

As a special case, <host> can be the string "localhost" or the empty string; this is interpreted as `the machine from which the URL is being interpreted'.

The file URL scheme is unusual in that it does not specify an Internet protocol or access method for such files; as such, its utility in network protocols between hosts is limited.

Next: 3.11 PROSPERO

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1738 - 3.10 FILES